MoneyFAIL Monday: That Damn Store Card

Normally, on Mondays, I do a Moneywise post where I recount my biggest money success story of the week and encourage my readers to share theirs as well.  This week, my face is far too red for that.

I have three credit cards-- American Express, Visa (for when American Express isn't accepted), and an Old Navy card (because they give me coupons).  My Amex is my primary card, and I use it for almost everything since I get travel points.  The Visa sees a little action, and the Old Navy card gets used pretty infrequently.  Since I hate having paper bills, I get all of my billing statements electronically, and it all works out pretty well.

Except for the Old Navy Card.

This card has the highest interest rate, and is the one I forget about the most frequently, since I use it the least.  I used it a little while back to order clothes from Athleta.  I ended up returning most of what I ordered (swimsuit), but did keep a skirt, and then just totally forgot I had even put it on my Old Navy card.  I kept wondering why the refund wasn't posting to my Amex, but I figured they were just a little slow.

Finally, I started getting phone calls from the Old Navy credit service center, and they wrote me a letter telling me that my account was months past due, and if I couldn't pay it, I'd better make arrangements with them.  I checked my account online, and it turns out that I'd had an Old Navy charge on there from April, and then added to that, the Athleta order.  I was charged interest plus late fees, and now I feel like a total moron--a poorer moron: Insult + Injury = Poorer Moron.

So what to do so this doesn't happen again?  Go back to paper bills it seems is the only/ best option.  I hate doing this because I hate paper and I don't have a shredder but still fear identity theft, but if having a paper bill is the only way to remember that I bought more clothes from Old Navy et al., that's the way it's going to have to be.

Gah!